Railroad-spike



V` (No Model.)

- J. Ff. L E` BARON.

RAILROAD SPIKE.

VNo. 453,648. Patented June 9, .1891

5. 19309@ fameL/w@ my, tra "raras PATENT OFFICE. t

JOHN FRANCIS LE BARON, OF MANDAR-IN, FLORIDA.

amLacan-SPIKE.

SPECIFICATON forming part of Letters Patent No. 453,648, dated June 9,1891.

Application led December 18, 1890. Serial No. 375,169 (No model.)

To all when?, tu may concern:

Beit known that I, JOHN FRANC/1 LE BARON, a citizen of the UnitedStates, residing at Mandarin, in the county of Duval and-State ofFlorida, have invented a new and i seful Railroad-Spike, of which thefollowing is a specification. This invention has relation to i inprovements 1n railroadspikes, the objects in view being to provide a spikepossessing all the advantages of a large screw and none of the disad'vantages thereof-Min other words, to provide a spike which by itspeculiar construction,is designed to be easily inserted, extremelysecure and safe, to be capable of an easy withdrawal when necessityrequires the same, and, furthermore, to be so constructed as not to marthe wood of the tie, and thus lay the same open to early decay.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will appear in thefol-lowing description, and the novel features thereot will beparticularly pointed out in the claims.

Referring to the drawings, Figure l is a side elevation of a spikeconstructed in accordance with my invention. Fig. 2'is a similar View,the locking-wedge being in position and the spike ready for insertion inthe tie. Fig. 3 is similar View after the spike has been inserted andlocked in the tie.V Fig. 4 is a detail in perspective of the lockingwedge-shaped key.

Fig. 5 is a Vertical longitudinal section of the lower end of the spike.

Like numerals of reference indicate like parts in all the figures of thedrawings. 4

In practice I construct a spike preferably circular in cross-section andslight-ly tapered from about its center to its lower end, and at itsupper end is provided with a head which is of the usual torni. When thusformed, the spike is split transversely, so that the cleft extends froxnthe point of the spike to about its center. Previous to this splitting,however, a spiral thread is formed upon the exterior'of the spike fromabout the inner end of the cleft to the point of the spike. Thesethreads gradually deepen toward the point, and upon their undersides arebeveled or ineli ned, while their upper sides are at substantially aright angle to the body of the spike, so that sharp threads are formed.

In operation, in order to prepare the spike for use, the tapered end Vofthe wedge is inserted into the cleft, so that the first pair of ribs areengaged by the first pair of grooves in the side walls of the cleft.This insertion givesno appreciable expansion ,to this spike,

and the same is inserted into an opening 8, previously bored in the tie9. The boring of the holes is accomplished, preferably, .pre-

vious to the setting of the ties, so that-the same may be accuratelygaged, and said holes are of a length equal to the combined length ofthe spike from below its. head and the key when locked and the spikesspread, as shown in Fig. After beinginserted in the hole a few lighttaps of a hammer serve to force the wedge-'shaped key farther into thecleft, and until its second pair of locking-ribs engage the first pairof grooves and the first pair of ribs engage the last pair of grooves,and by entrance of the vwedge the spike is sp read, so that itssharpspiral thread is forced into the fiber or grain of the tie and awithdrawal of the same is rendered dicult, the upper horizontal face ofthe thread servingto squarely interlock -with the grain, as will beapparent. l l

By reason of the threads the spike engages with the wall of the openingin the tie, so that while possessing all the qualities of a screw, yetit can be inserted without rotation and with the same ease and manner ofan ordinary spike.

Having described my invention, what' I claim is-a l. Thehereiirdesoribedspike, having an external spiral thread and provided with a cleft orslot, in combination with a wedgeshaped key located in the slot,substantially :is specied.

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2: The herein-described spike, having an externalrthread, the npper'faeeof which isat :L right angle to the. body of the spike and the lowerface ot which is 1ueveled or inclined, said spike having a cleft orslotin its threaded end, in combination with a wedge-shaped key insertedinthe slot or -cleft, substantially as speeied.

3. The herein-described spike, having an external thread and providedwith@ cleft or slot,y the opposite walls of which have opposite grooves,in combination with a. key of wedge shape, provided with transverse ribsi for engaging the grooves, substantially as specified.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto afixedmy signature in of two witnesses.

JOHN FRANCIS LE BARON.\

presence Witnesses:

Hrs. Bi B. HAY, Trios. WILLINGHAM.

